Table 3.
Factors supporting and hindering perceived autonomy among older people.
| Main category | Supporting and hindering factors |
|---|---|
| Older people’s individual capacities | Older people’s competence |
| Capacity to act30,39,44,48,58 | |
| Increased need of care32,37 | |
| Stress, low energy level, social isolation58 | |
| Personal characteristics | |
| Education level28 | |
| Financial abilities32,44,48,59 | |
| Relatives sharing and supporting autonomy | |
| Respect older people’s decisions34 | |
| Involvement of relatives31,33,34,44,52 | |
| Pressure to make decisions48 | |
| Professionals facilitating perceived autonomy | Professionals’ activities to create opportunities for perceived autonomy |
| Support from professionals for perceived autonomy22,28,60 | |
| Respect for older people’s autonomy32,34,49,59,66 | |
| Recognition of older people’s will33,35,54 | |
| Advance directives31,33 | |
| Information giving20,24,25,32,46 | |
| Professionals’ controlling choices | |
| Professionals make decisions on behalf of older people25–27,32,36,37,50,55 | |
| Unethical conduct54 and coercion49 | |
| Allowing opportunity to complain32,46,50,54,59 | |
| Enabling care practices | |
| Care routines21,26,27,32,36,38,49,59 | |
| Availability of assistance32,44,49,54,59 | |
| Professionals’ characteristics | |
| Professionals’ education32,45,54 | |
| Flexibility,54,63 equality, positivity,54 friendliness38 | |
| Arbitrary, manipulative or power-seeking attitude54 | |
| Living environment creating opportunities | Organisational characteristics |
| Involvement of older people20,29,54 | |
| Group focused rules57 | |
| Type and size of facility26,27,32,36,54 | |
| Limited resources26,32,45,49,50,54 | |
| Physical care facilitators | |
| Easily accessible care environment20,37,40,54,57,59,62 | |
| Locked doors49,59,62 | |
| Social care facilitators | |
| Privacy20,24,59,62 | |
| Other residents46,54 | |
| Participation in social activities32,36,46,54,61 | |
| Visits from friends and realtives22,23,52,56 |